In this lesson students will learn about tree rings and how archaeologists use them to help date sites and artifacts. What are tree rings? How are tree rings used to determine the age of archaeological sites? Students will... ●Understand how trees grow and why growth rings are formed. ●Describe how climate and weather affects the growth of tree rings. ●Explain the age of a tree by its rings. ●Understand how ring patterns can be used to determine the age of archaeological sites.
Recommended level: Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
1. How Trees Grow: Understanding Tree Rings
2. Counting Rings to Determine a Tree's Age
3. Dendrochronology: Dating Archaeological Sites with Tree Rings